This trip starts in Kampala and ends in Kigali with an encounter with the mountain Gorillas and chimps in their natural habitats. You will also enjoy game drives across some of the major tourist destinations in Uganda.
Trip Summary
Day 01: Arrival day
Day 02: Kampala – Kibale Forest National Park
Day 03: Tracking chimps in Kibale
Day 04: Kibale – Queen Elizabeth
Day 05: Kyambura gorge and Maramagambo forest.
Day 06: Queen Elizabeth – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Day 07: Gorilla Tracking – Lake Bunyonyi
Day 08: Lake Bunyonyi & Departure
DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 01: Arrival day
After arrival at Entebbe International airport, you will be warmly welcomed by our driver/guide and then transfer you to Kampala for overnight at either Serena Hotel, Common Wealth Country Resort Munyonyo (High end/luxurious accommodation), Grand Imperial Hotel, Royal Capital Palace Hotel (Medium class accommodation) or Fairway Hotel (low Budget accommodation).
Day 02: Kampala – Kibale Forest National Park
After breakfast, depart Kampala via the pretty little town of Mubende set in rolling hills. Make a stopover at the splendid Nakaima cultural tree known to be 400 hundred years old worshipped by local people and thought to be holding the spirit of an ancient Bachwezi King. Picnic lunch en route and continue to Kibalale. Arrive late afternoon to unwind at the lodge or travel around the nearby Crater Lake. Overnight at either Ndali lodge, a stunning location overlooking a dramatic Crater Lake (high end luxurious accommodation), Rwenzori view Guest House (medium classic accommodation), Primate Lodge or Kanyanchu tourist Centre (low budget classic accommodation).
Approximate driving time is 6 – 7 hours.
Day 03: Tracking chimps in Kibale
After breakfast, enter the forest to look for the chimps the experience is quiet exciting and adventurous. Expect to encounter other species of primates like Baboons, Red colobus , Black and white colobus , Grey cheeked mangabey, Red tailed monkey, Birds like sun birds, Turaco, pitas and other bird species, butter fly species etc. Return late afternoon for rest or opt to visit Bigodi swamp. Overnight at the lodge.
Day 04: Kibale – Queen Elizabeth
After breakfast, choose a walk to Bigodi wet land sanctuary look out for the rare shoe Bill Bird, African pitta, osprey , Crown Great Blue Turaco among others, species of primates such as Baboons, Blue monkeys, Banded Mangoose etc. picnic lunch will be taken at the lodge.
In the afternoon transfer to Queen Elizabeth Park. Overnight at either Jacana Safari lodge, Mweya Safari Lodge, King Fisher Lodge (high end classic accommodation) or Mweya Institute of Ecology (low budget classic accommodation).
Day 05: Kyambura gorge and Maramagambo forest.
Start with Kyambura river gorge for another daring experience of tracking chimps. It is so enriching to watch the ravishing river valley which is a habitat to many birds and butterfly species. Relax over a drink at the camp and proceed to Maramagambo forest for an exciting nature walk up to the bat cave and to the unique blue Crater Lake. Overnight at the lodge.
Day 06: Queen Elizabeth – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Depart from Queen Elizabeth and leave for Bwindi with a game drive in the Ishasha segment in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth Park. Expect to see the famous tree climbing lions that can be spotted on the large fig trees and other wild life such as Topis, Buffaloes and warthogs etc.
Overnight at either Mantana Tented Camp (high end luxurious accommodation), Buhoma homestead (medium class accommodation) or Buhoma community camp (low Budget accommodation). Approximate driving time is 4 – 5 hours.
Day 07: Gorilla Tracking – Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast and briefing from the guide, enter the forest looking for the mountain Gorillas. Bwindi Impenetrable forest shelters more than half of Mountain Gorillas in the whole world. Tracking may take 2 – 8 hours, counting from the time of contact with the Gorillas. One may walk a brief or long distance in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. You will be allowed to spend one hour with Gorillas. After tracking return to the Camp and check out heading to Lake Bunyonyi. Overnight at Birds Nest.
Day 08: Lake Bunyonyi & Departure
After a tasty breakfast head out for a boat ride on the lake believed to be one of the deepest in Africa. This lake has 29 separate islands and some of them will be explored on this boat ride. You will set your eyes on beautiful birds all flying over the waters and in the surrounding trees. The boat ride will also introduce you to the beautiful cultural traditions as you interact with the local people. Return in the afternoon, have lunch and drive to Kigali depending on your flight departure time.
End of tour.
Included
• Gorilla permit
• Chimpanzee tracking permit
• Airport transfers
• Bottled drinking water
• Transport in safari car with a pop up roof
Excluded
• Visa fees
• Flight charges
• Any personal items
• Laundry